Rescue operations continue in Bihar

Army and airforce contingents on Friday continued to assist the state machinery in rescue and relief operations as the flood situation in Bihar remained grim, 12 days after river Kosi breached its embankment affecting over two million people in Supaul, Madhepura, Arari and Saharsa districts.

Three IAF helicopters and two army columns equipped with motorboats, besides over 2000 personnel drawn from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and various wings of state police, were deployed in the four districts to evacuate the marooned, Additional Commissioner of the Disaster Management department Pratyay Amrit said.

Two more army columns were on way and an equal number had been sought for deployment to further speed up the relief and rescue efforts, he said adding one more IAF helicopter was likely to join operations from tomorrow.

Amrit said so far over 2.37 lakh people were shifted to relief camps and other shelters in these districts where 673 boats including 58 motorboats of the NDRF had been pressed into service.

A total of 925 boats lying idle in districts not affected by floods were being transported by trucks to the four districts and 337 of them already reached the affected areas.

In all 146 relief camps, 73 health centres and 59 cattle camps were functioning in the four districts to provide succour to the victims, he said.